Steam canning apparatus.



E. MOODY.

STEAM GANNING APPARATUS.

APPLICATION FILED JULY 14, 1908. 926,588. Patented June 29, 1909.

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STEAM CANNING APPARATUS, APPLICATION FILED JULY 14, 1908.

926,588. Patented June 29, 1909.

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UNTTE STATES ?ATENT OFFICE.

ELIJAH MCCOY, OF OARTHAGE, MISSOURI.

STEAM CANNING APPARATUS.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ELIJAH MCCOY, a citizen of the United States, residing at Carthage, in the county of Jasper and State of Missouri, have invented a new and useful Steam Canning Apparatus, of which the following is a specification.

The invention relates to a steam canning apparatus.

The object of the present invention is to improve the construction of steam canncrs and cookers, and to provide a simple, inexpensive and efficient steam canning apparatus, adapted to scald fruit, vegetables, etc., in the preparation of the same for canning such goods, and capable also of simultane ously steaming and. cooking fruit, vegetables, etc., after the same have been placed in the cans.

l Vith these and other objects in view, the invention consists in the construction and novel combination of parts hereinafter fully described, illustrated in the accompanying drawings, and pointed out in the claims hereto appended; it being understood that various changes in the form, proportion, size and minor details of construction, within the scope of the claims, may be resorted to without departing from the spirit or sacrificing any of the advantages of the invention.

In the drawings :Figure 1 is aperspective view of a steam canning apparatus, constructed in accordance with this invention. Fig. 2 is a simple longitudinal sectional view of the same. Fig. 3 is a transverse sectional view, taken substantially on the line 33 of Fig. 2. Fig. 4 is a detail view of the motallic basket. Fig. 5 is a detail view of one of the removable inner holding trays.

Like numerals of reference designate corresponding parts in all the figures of the drawings.

The steam canning apparatus comprises in its construction a furnace 1, constructed of sheet metal, or other suitable material and having vertical side walls 2 and 3 and vertical end walls 4 and 5. The furnace is provided with a horizontal bottom 6, which is supported above the floor, or other sup porting surface by means of a plurality of legs 7, arranged in pairs and consisting of transversely disposed metallic bars 8, secured to and extending across the lower face of the bottom and having their terminals bent downwardly to form the legs 7. The lower ends of the legs are bent outward horizontally to Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed July 14, 1908.

Patented June 29, 1909.

Serial No. 443,466.

form feet, as clearly shown in Fig. 3 of the drawings. The casing formed by the said side and end walls is divided by a horizontal partition 9 into upper and lower portions, the lower portion constituting the furnace proper, and the upper portion forming a boiler and divided by a transverse vertical partition 10 to form a scalding vat 11 and a steam generating and cooking vat 12. The lower portion of the furnace receives a horizontal grate 13, which is supported by horizontal side and end flanges 14 and 15 and by a lower vertical longitudinal partition 16, arranged centrally of the furnace and providcd with upper and lower flanges 17 and 18, the lower flange being secured to the bottom of the furnace and the upper flange being arranged to support the grate beneath the median line of the same. The flanges are preferably formed of metallic strips, which are L-shaped in cross section to form attaching flanges, as clearly illustrated in Fig. 3 of the drawings. The furnace is provided in its end 5 above and below the grate with openings 19 and 20 for the introduction of fuel and for the removal of ashes, and it is also equipped with an upper fuel door 21 and a lower door 22, which is arranged to cover the opening communicating with the ash pit or space below the grate. The grate may be of any desired construction and various fuels may be employed, as will be readily understood, and the wall 4 is provided with a stove pipe hole 23, located at the fire box or combustion chamber for the escape of the smoke and other products of combustion. A suitable stove pipe or stack 24 is connected with the furnace at the openin 23, an annular flange or collar 25 being provided for the attachment of an elbow 26 at the lower end of the stove pipe 24.

The scalding vat or compartment 11 is eX- tended above the steam generating and cooking vat or compartment 12, and it receives a metallic basket 27, provided with a suitable handle 28 and having its side and end walls and its bottom constructed of spaced metallic strips or bars. The body portion of the basket, which has downwardly tapered sides, extends from the bottom of the vat or compartment 11 to a bar adjacent to the upper edges of the same, and its handle 28 extends above the vat or compartment 11, as clearly shown in Figs. 1 and 2 of the drawings for enabling the basket to be easily removed from the apparatus. The open sides,

ends and bottom of the basket subjects its contents thoroughly to the scalding action of the hot water contained within the vat or compartment 11, which is designed to be employed for scalding and cleaning vegetables, fruit and other goods in preparing the same for canning. The basket operates as a strainer to enable the scalded fruit, Vegetables, or other goods to be lifted from the boiling water of the vat or compartment 11 without removing or emptying the latter. As the vat or compartment 11 and the scalding basket are both open at the top, it will be apparent that the fruit. vegetables, or other goods may be rapidly handled to scald them in the apparatus and to remove them therefrom.

The steam generating and cooking vat or compartment receives the fruit, vegetables or other goods, which are contained in cans 29, arranged in trays 3G. The apparatus may be constructed in different sizes and its capacity may be varied as desired. The trays of the cans are arranged in a vertical series, the lower tray being placed. upon a perforated support 31, and the other trays being placed upon the cans of the tray below them. By this construction and arrangement, the trays containing the cans are arranged in spaced relation with each other and also with the bottom of the vat or compartment 12. T he support 31, which is oblong, consists of a plate of sheet metal, or other suitable material, provided at intervals with perforations 32 and having depending side and end flanges 33, which rest upon the bottom of the vat or compartment 12. The trays are provided in their bottoms with perforations 34, and they have side and end walls 35. The perforations 34 of the trays correspond to and register with the perforations of the support 31, so that any one of the trays may be placed upon the support without closing or covering either the perforations of such tray, or the perforations of the support. The trays are also provided at their ends with suitable handles 35 adapted to enable the trays to be conveniently handled both in placing them in and removing them from the apparatus and also in conveying them from one point or place to another.

The steam is rapidly and effectively generated by means of a longitudinal series of transversely disposed approximately U- shaped tubes, composed of two sides and a connecting bottom portion or bend, and extending downward from the horizontal partition 9 to the grate 13 and resting upon the latter. By extending the tubes downward from the horizontal partition to the grate, the former is relieved of the weight of the tubes, which by resting upon the grate constitutes spaced supports for the horizontal partition. This also arranges the lower portions of the tubes directly within the fire and secures a maximum heating capacity. The sides of the water tubes are located at opposite sides of the median line of the furnace, and their upper ends, which are open, pierce the horizontal partition 9 and communicate with the space above the same. The ends of the pipes are threaded for the reception of the upper and lower nuts 37, arranged 1n pairs and engaging the upper and lower faces of the horizontal partition. The tubes, which are located within the fire box or combustion chamber, subject comparatively small quantities of water to the intense heat of the fire contained within the furnace, and steam is thereby rapidly produced for steaming and cooking the contents of the cans.

The steam discharged from the pipes 36 is confined within the apparatus by means of a removable receiver or dome 38, composed of vertical side and end Walls and an arched or dome-shaped top 39 and adapted to be placed over the trays of the cans after the latter have been arranged within the apparatus. The receiver or steam dome is provided at the top with a handle 40 for enabling it to be readily placed over and removed from the cans, and it is also equipped with a pivoted closure 42, adapted to cover or partially cover the opening 41. When the closure is arranged to entirely cover the opening 41, it is secured in such position by a resilient catch 43, mounted on the top of the steam dome or receiver adjacent to the free end of the closure 42. The opening 41 and the closure form a safety valve to prevent the apparatus from being injured by a too rapid generation of steam.

The apparatus is provided at the upper portion with spigots or faucets 44 and 45, communicating, respectively, with the vats or compartments 11 and 12 and adapted to enable the water to be drawn off from the apparatus when the same is not in use.

Having thus fully described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. A steam canning apparatus including a furnace provided with a casing having a horizontal partition dividing the easing into upper and ower portions, a grate arranged within the lower portion of the casing, and a vertical partition dividing the upper portion of the casing into a scalding vat and a steam generating and cooking vat, a steam dome or receiver fitting within and extending above the steam generating and cooking vat, a support arranged within the steam 'enerating and cooking vat and provided wit perforations and having depending side and end flanges, and can receiving trays also arranged within the steam generating and cooking vat and covered by the steam dome or receiver.

2. A steam canning apparatus comprising a furnace including a casing having a horizontal partition dividing the easing into up per and lower portions, a grate arranged within the lower portion of the casing, and substantially U-shaped water pipes composed of two sides and a connecting bottom portion and extending downward to and resting upon the grate and constituting spaced supports for the horizontal partition, the upper terminals of the sides of the tubes piercing the horizontal partition and communicating with the upper portion of the caslng.

3. A steam canning apparatus comprising a furnace including a casing having a horizontal partition dividing the easing into upper and lower portions, a grate arranged within the lower portion of the casing, substantially U-shaped water pipes composed of two sides and a connecting bottom portion and extending downward to and resting upon the grate, said pipes constituting spaced supports for the horizontal partition, and the upper terminals of the sides of the pipes piercing the horizontal partition and communicating with the upper portion of the casing, and a central longitudinal partition arranged in the lower portion of the casing beneath the connecting portions of the water pipes and cooperating with the latter and the grate to provide a continuous support for the horizontal partition.

4. A steam canning apparatus comprising a furnace including a casing provided at one end with a smoke pipe and having a door at the opposite end, said casing being also rovided with a horizontal partition dividing it into upper and lower portions, a grate arranged within the lower portion of the casing below the plane of the smoke pipe, and substantially U-shaped water pipes com posed of two sides and a connecting portion and extending downward to and resting upon the grate, said pipes being spaced from the plane of the smoke pipe so as not to obstruct the draft, and the sides of the said pipes constituting spaced supports for the horizontal partition.

5. A steam canning apparatus comprising a furnace including a casing, a partition dividing the same into upper and lower portions, a grate dividing the space below the partition into a lire box and an ash pit, a transverse partition located above the said partition and dividing the upper )ortion of the easing into a scalding vat an a steam generating and cooking vat, and a plurality of substantially U-shapcd pipes piercing the first mentioned partition and extending downward therefrom to the grate and having open upper ends communicating with the steam generating and cooking vat, and a steam dome or receiver arranged over the open ends of the said pipes.

In testimony, that I claim the foregoing as my own, I have hereto atlixed my signature in the presence of two witnesses.

ELIJAH MCCOY. Witnesses:

LEIGH I. DoDwELL, J. WV. MEREDITH. 

